Have any of you who wear glasses ever found yourself in a situation where a conflict seemed imminent and had to face the problem of getting your specs off your face and some where safe without it looking like your doing so as a threat and further antagonizing the situation, its a self defence question I don't think I'v ever seen brought up, thoughts ?
My vision is too impaired to not have them so I just factor it in, there has been the odd occasion when I've or pretended to clean them. At times I make a point of sparring and training without contacts, just so I'm used to working like it. Also as soon as I tuck my chin in I'm looking over the top of my specs anyway.
I'm *almost* legally blind in both of my eyes, so I'm stuck with glasses or contacts pretty much 100% of the time. For the past two years or so, I've started sparring without wearing any lenses at all. This means that some of the time I don't even know who I'm fighting against! I found that after a period of adjustment, I was able to roll at my usual level despite the visual impairment. As for self defence, I'd put my hands up and use the old "you wouldn't hit a guy with glasses, would you?" Other than that, I don't think I'd be as concerned with my glasses as I would be with getting myself out of there as quickly as possible, glasses or no glasses.
Glasses can make awesome weapons..... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGSFTESh7yc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGSFTESh7yc[/ame] (*side note: I take pride in the fact I can be replied upon to find the absolute worst videos out there!)
What...did...I...just...watch. Cheers Hannibal, you owe me a new keyboard, actually you don't as I am at work Almost didn't get past the flurry of groin punches from the frontal strangle whilst kneeling and spitting in his partner's face..would of ****ted him for that, video or not.. Pure gold, shame on the Gracie clan for keeping this from us mere mortals. Takedown defence looked more like how to defend and repel zombie attacks. Cheers Dan
I asked about this before and the consensus was basically "erm...sucks to be you?" In a politer way of course I've tried to think of a way of doing it and the best I've got is either pretending to clean them, in which case you occupy both your hands which is dumb, or take them off and rub your face or something but that can look quite antagonistic. I do have the bonus though that my glasses don't hook behind my ears so if I do a Prince Charming style head flick I can get them to fly off anyway
In the ninja arts they train wearing specs in many schools I have been to, which is good because you get used to them being knocked around your head. Personally I wear contacts, and if I was wearing glasses and something I would probably opt for a 'hey mate, you wouldn't hit a guy with glasses would you?' then kick em in the jewels and peg it.
I wear contacts after losing a few pairs of glasses in fights. I wasn't trained to break limbs before though.....
Heh - I buy glasses with plastic lens and frame that have spring bows and flexibility... mainly because I have been punched in the glasses, had them ground in with head locks, had them knocked off and other such things. In most cases, it was situations that erupted before I could be aware of them to avoid them. In a few cases, I was able to remove them and pass them to a freind when it was clear there was no escape and that I was going to have to be in an altercation. Best defense - work on awareness and avoid such situations (which I've gotten much better at and haven't had issues in a long time now)
its not really the practicality of getting them off I'm putting up for debate its the should you, glasses are expensive most of us can't afford to get them smashed in a spout of trouble but taking them off can be seen by the aggressor as a sign of goading, this is the problem.
most half decent modern glasses don't really break like that though, much more likely for the frame to bend or snap, or the glass to get chipped than out right smash like a beer bottle.
Good point. Having the screwy bit near my eye is still a concern for me though. And generally getting punched in the face wearing glasses seems like it would be worse than not wearing them.
yeah those little padded plastic bits that rest on your nose can cut if they get run down your face from an impact, another reason for getting them off if violence seems likely.
I have to say I don't like wearing glasses, especially when moving through questionable areas, but in reality I haven't had any problems in the past 20 years or so.. things change when you are older: 1. You don't care about the money aspect of a pair of glasses 2. You don't get in to scraps in the street or pub 3. You don't worry about whipping off glasses in the face of potential violence Perhaps it would be better for you to start thinking more about how 2. occurs from the above than how to resolve 3. ?
Yes - I understand that. You also asked about it in a self defense context. From a self defense context, if you are going to hit in the glasses, it's most likely because you failed to avoid the situation and/or got caught off-guard. My advice goes directly to that notion - buy glasses that won't shatter, that have flexibility built in, and have less chance of hurting you. You can get nice glasses that have those qualities. I wear them because sometimes in class, a training situation might end up getting me hit in the face. For sparring I remove them, but there are still teaching times when you take a hit. Better have safe glasses than not. Now, at the same time, from a self defense situation, I have to wonder how often this comes up for you. If you find yourself frequently in a 'a situation where a conflict seemed imminent and had to face the problem of getting your specs off your face and some where safe without it looking like your doing so as a threat and further antagonizing the situation', I have to wonder if you have the time to notice that conflict is imminent and time to remove your glasses, why aren't you de-escalating and/or getting yourself OUT of there instead? If there is time to appear as if you are 'goading', then there probably is time to get out of there.
One time I heard some lads running through people's gardens, smashing windows etc. Just as I arrived on the scene (like a boss) one of the lads was trying to escape from my neighbour so I tackled him. Me and the lad went one way and my specs went another! I was more concerned they'd broken as I heard them skittering off on the concrete than anything else. I held the lad with one hand, used my other hand as a fence against his aggressive mates (let him go or we're gonna....!) and then got my missus to find my specs in the dark. Normal vision was restored.
I have the same 'problem' with hearing aids. If I get hit in the ear square on (and it has happened on the ground with an elbow in training) then it not only hurts, but I also lose hearing in that ear as it begins to bleed and the aid gets clogged. If I take a hard headshot in a helmet then often a hearing aid pops out and goes flying - and rather than a £200 of glasses I'm looking at £1500 of sensitive computer equipment going flying. If I train without hearing aids in, it's as bad as being without contacts in, just totally disorientating. Even with hearing aids my brain has to work overtime to interpret what people are saying, without them (unless I'm in the showers or the swimming pool where the water has a strange effect) I really get lost and because my brain is working overtime I miss things. I can't take hearing aids out while trying to defuse a situation, and you shouldn't worry about taking your glasses off in similar circumstances. As many others have said, once it starts, it starts (and the last thing you want is to have your glasses in your hands or be mid way trying to take them off or put them down). You should stop worrying about it and prioritise avoidance skills, deescalation skills, spotting telegraphs and avoiding getting hit in the head.
